Floored by Kabuki

[rodman101]

Today I picked up a receiver that needed service and this shop also sells vintage stereo with a system playing. Today it was a Sherwood 8000 & Sansui SP2700, playing local FM jazz station, WOWWWW!!!! Never a fan of that speaker era but this system definitely was above par of my opinion for that speaker design. Granted there weren't ultra dynamics but everything was there and imaging was fantastic. Playing probably 89dB at 3', I can only assume that quality is only up to 95dB tops with no bettter low end but that is the compromise I guess, I was still impressed!

 

[bluesky]

My 1970 Sansui Kabuki 'big box' SP-2000s sound great - Love em.

Very efficient. No way I could even crank them in my house. It would be hugely way too LOUD.

Sounds great. Play music all day and all night & you're not even thinking about them. Just the way it's supposed to be - perfect!

Are there better speakers, of course, but these SP-2000s sound like 1970 'big box' ported speakers with AlNiCo magnets!!!

They sound real & 'natural' too.

Works for me.

 

[twiiii]

I always loved the sound produced by Sherwood tube and hybrid recievers. I liked Sansui pieces made in the 70's, too. There was something special about both of them. They worked great with speakers rated at 95 db 1 watt 4 feet and higher at the time. Sherwoods sounded great with the early Cornwall smoothing out that overly present mid horn sound at the time. They worked well with Bozaks, Altecs and JBL's, too. I really like them with EV model 6 and Georgians. Neither of them were strong enough for AR and KLH speakers from that period unless your room was very small.

 

[Bone Yard]

I've got several pairs of Kabuki's, they used to be everywhere and cheap. I never liked the sound of any of them but this summer I was over at Twin Cities Smitty checking out his 60's monster Sansui's paired with one of the huge Pioneers. Wow, it sounded great, enough to make me kind of want to dig mine out. Most of my Kabuki's are solid wood so moving them around isn't always fun but I'm wondering with some updates I could probably get some good sonics out of them.

 

[dietz31684]

My 1970 Sansui Kabuki 'big box' SP-2000s sound great - Love em.

Very efficient. No way I could even crank them in my house. It would be hugely way too LOUD.

Sounds great. Play music all day and all night & you're not even thinking about them. Just the way it's supposed to be - perfect!

Are there better speakers, of course, but these SP-2000s sound like 1970 'big box' ported speakers with AlNiCo magnets!!!

They sound real & 'natural' too.

Works for me.

What he said. I LOVE my SP-2500s. I recapped them after listening a few months, great imaging after the recap.

 

[bluesky]

What he said. I LOVE my SP-2500s. I recapped them after listening a few months, great imaging after the recap.

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I'm pretty sure your SP-2500s sound almost exactly like my SP-2000s ~ they 'Fill Up' the house with the "Sound of Sansui"!!

From AI:
The Sansui SP-2500 speakers do feature Alnico magnets.
Alnico magnets were commonly used in vintage audio equipment due to their 'excellent sound quality' and 'durability'.
The SP-2500s have 'powerful sound capabilities'.

To me, AlNiCo magnets are wonderful sounding for LPs ... and really help the 'heard sound' of CDs. They just make the sound 'warmer & more lifelike' [like the old Fender guitar amps]. To me, they just seem to help 'take the edge off' digital sound. I really do like SP-2000s. A long time ago I had an internet friend who worked for Sansui, and he had SP-200s and felt the exact way as far as the Sansui sound goes. He only played LPs.

The SP-2000s sound just perfect for me & all the caps are original. Yeah, I know. Quite remarkable really. And ... I'm not changing anything! Sounds great as is. Sound like 1970 Sansui!! Why ruin a good thing! I'm leaving them alone.

Maybe some JBLs someday. Been saying that for over 30 years. No hurry.

Folks really love the SP-3500s and they crank I guess!! I'd like to hear a pair someday.

 

[bluesky]

FYI: Matching color Sansui wooden speaker stands.

Sansui made the 'perfect matching color' wooden speaker stands that would fit your speakers with about 1/2-inch overhang on the sides.

* Exact size of stands in photo: 15 inches wide, 11.5 inches deep, 4.5 inches high. *

One pair 'pops up' on eBay like once every year or every 1.5 years. (But maybe tomorrow, you never know! ) They are rare, which just makes them even more fun!]

The stands are really nice. Gold Sansui Logo stenciled on the front too. Just keeping it all Sansui!!

My Sansui rig (pictured below)
SP-2000 (have another NOS pair in the boxes in the closet.)
Sansui wooden speaker stands (made for some other '70s speaker model like ours - can't remember which model.)
AU-X901 amp
SR-838 TT w/ 1980 NOS Ortofon M20FL Super MM cart.
NOS GX-100 TT rack - (rare too.)
PS-107 "High-Efficiency" cables speaker cables. (7 meters long each)
1970 deck of unopened Sansui playing cards - bottom LP shelf.

[ NAD CD Player [it crashed out after only 11 years. Use an 'even better sounding' M- Sony DVD/CD player now.]

The Sansui stands are great, look really nice, & are the correct 'functional height' for 'our' size Sansui box speakers.

And ... they match your cabinet perfectly!!!